Before the onset of the Great Galactic War, the reformed and rebuilt Sith Empire began to make its opening moves against the Galactic Republic. They first began a period of covert operations and seeded the planets of Belkadan, Sernpidal and Ruuria with puppet governments that showed loyalty to the Republic but were truly subjects of the Sith Empire. It was during this stage that Sith battlecruisers were first sighted on the Tingel Arm with the Aparo sector subjugated though the Republic were unaware of who these intruders were at the time. During a diplomatic mission sent to the unknown fleet, the Sith struck and destroyed the envoy's vessel. When the Republic Navy rallied to attack this foe, they found their forces trapped in Sith territory as the infiltrated planets showed their true nature thus allowing the Republic forces to be devastated. In the aftermath, only a few number of ships managed to escape from the Sith and had been forced to scatter thus weakening the Republic's grasp over their territory as well as encouraging the Sith Empire to continue its onslaught.